13 Ways To Boost Your LinkedIn Presence

LinkedIn is one of the most innovative career tools in the last
50 years and one of the fastest growing social media platforms in
the world. However, while you might have a LinkedIn profile, odds are you aren't
truly maximizing the power of this vital social
network.

Here are 13 ways to spend more time on LinkedIn for the
best career results:

That means, half of LinkedIn's users aren't getting the
results they would like (such as calls from recruiters about job
opportunities), because they haven't taken the time to understand
what should be on their profile.

When you are in LinkedIn groups, you can access peers
who are part of your industry, skill set or geographic area.
Groups make networking so much easier than having to start a
conversation with a total stranger.

3. Make LinkedIn connections. LinkedIn adds two new
members per second. With so many people joining, it's
only a matter of time before the professionals you most want to
connect with have profiles, letting you can make new career
connections all over the world.4. Choose your words carefully. The most used adjective in
LinkedIn profiles in 2013 was "responsible."Knowing
what words to avoid on your LinkedIn profile can help you avoid
looking like everyone else. Plus, studies show that overused
subjective words in your profile are a total turnoff to
recruiters.

5. Time your updates. Only 8 percent of Americans use
LinkedIn during work hours. Studies show that most
LinkedIn users hop on early in the morning (between 8 and 10 am)
and later at night (5 to 8 pm). Following those patterns with
your updates can help you attract maximum attention to your
profile, helping you earn the respect and trust of your
connections.

9. Be present. While 48 percent of
users spend fewer than two
hours on LinkedIn per week, that's still enough to
be worth your time and gives you an opportunity to connect with
those in our space who could enrich your network.

Businesses are realizing
the huge potential LinkedIn has
to drive consumers and potential hires to their sites. Not
understanding how LinkedIn will play a future role in your
company's success is short-sighted.

Understanding how people at different levels in their
career are using LinkedIn can help you manage your own efforts
better. From designing your LinkedIn profile, to reaching out and
asking strangers to connect, it's important to realize how others
are using LinkedIn and leverage that knowledge to your
advantage.

Thinking about the theory of "six degrees of separation,"
it's only a matter of time before you can connect with anyone you
want, but only if you have developed your network to a size where
you can tap into the power of second- and third-level
connections.

You are what you contribute. Joining in the conversation
gives you the chance to deepen your connections.

Like it or not, social media has taken over career
development. So you must engage in tools like LinkedIn to stay
employable and reach your professional goals. Better to invest
time each week now then to be viewed as someone who is
out-of-touch.

J.T. O'Donnell is a career and workplace expert who founded
the top-ranked career advice site,CAREEREALISM.com. In 2009, she
launched CareerHMO, the first on-line career care
membership site which specializes in curing chronic career
pain.